Stockholm-listed gaming operator LeoVegas has revamped its group management team in order to drive sustainable growth and increase its focus on responsible gaming.

This has seen a number of employees moved to new roles within the business and Richard Woodbridge named as the company's next chief operating officer.

Woodbridge will take on his new role in Malta by January 7th, 2019 at the latest, joining from Swedish ecommerce business Ellos Group.

"LeoVegas is the leading GameTech company in the industry, and I have a passion for working with fast-growing tech companies," Woodbridge commented. "I am looking forward to being part of LeoVegas' continued journey of growth and optimising LeoVegas' operations, with sustainability as a guiding principle."

"Overarching responsibility for operations is growing increasingly important now that we have some 750 employees, of whom 400 are based in Malta," Hagman explained. "LeoVegas is a data-driven company in which we use a number of key metrics to further improve ourselves and increase our productivity.

"This has become even more crucial as we have begun acquiring companies and working with multiple brands. With his experience and capacity Richard will make a major contribution to our growth going forward."

Current LeoVegas COO Marcus Nylén will step down from the role after handing over to Woodbridge, leaving the management team to focus solely on driving the company's global expansion.

Meanwhile, Nylén's wife and current LeoVegas chief marketing officer Louise Nylén moves to the role of deputy chief executive with immediate effect, working alongside Hagman on strategic initiatives such as sustainability and value-creating projects.

"In my new role as deputy CEO I will have a broader platform to work from, which will enable me to promote sustainability, growth and value for the company," she said of her new position. "I am very excited to have this trust and opportunity to continue contributing to LeoVegas' rapid development."

Hagman paid tribute to Nylén's work as CMO and said that he looks forward to seeing her apply her management skills across the entire business.

"Louise has also played a key role in building our company culture and driving sustainability, and I look forward to working with Louise and all other employees to achieve our financial targets for 2020 of at least €600m in revenue and at least €100m in EBITDA," he said.

Nylén's responsibilities as CMO will be divided between several employees, with the position phased out as a result.

Also leaving the management team is chief commercial officer Rikard Ljungman, who will now focus solely on responsible gaming and the LeoSafePlay platform, with Woodbridge assuming his commercial duties. LeoSafePlay, the online portal offering tools and resources to ensure customers gamble responsibly, will become a separate business unit as a result.

"Rikard was one of the initiative-takers behind LeoSafePlay, and with his strong product background, including as CPO for the software company Episerver, he has the exact right expertise to take the next step to make LeoVegas the leader in responsible gaming technology and strengthen our position as a GameTech company," Hagman commented.

Shares in LeoVegas AB (STO:LEO) were trading up 7.91 per cent at SEK71.65 per share in Stockholm Tuesday morning.